Movie Suggestions

It sounds like you're being serious, if only because I can't see where the humor might be, but I don't know why there would really be a combat butler profession.

Yesterday, I saw Your Name. (君の名は。 - "Your Name."; the period is part of the title) in a theater. What a perfectly structured, brilliantly told story, and the visuals are stunning, to boot. Now that is how you tell a romance. Subtle growth of the relationship, gently paced, against a backdrop that drives the strengthening of that bond. Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen a delicately presented character relationship from director Makoto Shinkai, as that's pretty much always been his specialty ever since he left Falcom (where he did work like creating the opening title sequences of Ys I & II Complete/Chronicles) and became a film director. Your Name. is a new high point for him, becoming not only the highest-grossing anime film of all time but also the fourth-highest grossing film in Japan of all time (behind Spirited Away, Titanic, and Frozen) and eighth-highest grossing traditionally animated film of all time. So yes, it's hardly a hidden gem, but I think it's a gem nonetheless and highly recommend seeing it while it's still in theaters. Funimation's US/Canada theatrical run started a week ago and was only guaranteed a one-week run, so if you can find a local theater who still has it for the current Friday-to-Thursday period, don't delay. Showings in both English and Japanese (the latter with English subtitles) are available, so check your theaters' showing details. I saw it in English, and the performances, many by familiar voice actors, were all outstanding.

I keep forgetting to post about this, but around a month ago, I finally watched my rental of Dr. Who and the Daleks, the 1965 (color) movie starring Peter Cushing, based on the 1963-1964 (black and white) Doctor Who serial that introduced the Daleks, "The Daleks." The movie, which was made by a studio who licensed the rights from the BBC, bears some degree of resemblance to the actual show, but there are significant differences. Instead of being about a Time Lord known only as "The Doctor," his teenage granddaughter Susan, and her teachers Ian and Barbara, the movie follows an eccentric human named "Dr. Who," his grade-school granddaughter Susan, his teenage granddaughter Barbara, and Barbara's klutzy boyfriend Ian. The Tardis, referred to here as "Tardis" instead of "the Tardis," is a unique invention by Dr. Who and Susan, looking very much jury-rigged, rather than being one of many sophisticated Tardises used by Time Lords. Also of note, the otherworldly musical sense that marked early Doctor Who is absent, with the movie sounding instead very much like a typical movie of the '60s.

It was an interesting watch, but honestly, it's a movie for kids, with a goofy sense of humor and a bit of focus on Susan as the brave little girl who saves the day. Doctor Who started out as an educational adventure TV series, so targeting the kids audience is understandable, but despite its vivid colors and big sets, the movie feels flat. Most characters are forgettable, and there are sudden plot advances explained by a single line of dialogue, like the Daleks deciding to neutron-bomb the entire planet--I guess they conveniently had one ready to go hundreds of years since they knew of anyone still alive besides them--when their initial plan fails. There's also a ridiculously long and boring sequence in which four people struggle to climb maybe 10 feet up a 45-degree mountainside that has stairs.

The sequel, which didn't do well at the box office, unlike its predecessor, looks from clips like a more interesting movie. Unfortunately, it isn't in the PS Store.

If I remember correctly, I mentioned that the Rifftrax people riffed them. That was a couple years ago and I think they lost the rights. Though strangely, they will be riffing live an actual episode of the old show this summer. The Five Doctors.

Also they've been shown on TCM.

The second movie is indeed better than the 1st and it has the great Andrew Keir in it.

I still can't believe what they did to Blade. You have two huge movies (and this was before comic book movies were super popular) and then you replace the star with a bunch of annoying young actors in the third. And then when that bombs, kill off any IP value it has by making a TV show where Blade can no longer do martial arts and is really basically Vampire: The Masquerade with a blonde chick starring in it.

I neglected to mention that I saw Wonder Woman last weekend. It was pretty awesome, and I enjoyed it a lot. Gadot's Diana is an excellent portrayal of the character, strong and intelligent, yet naive in the ways of the human world, but not uncouth (as she was depicted in one of the Justice League OVAs that showed her arrival). Reboot Captain Kirk Steve Trevor pairs very well with her, and it's a joy watching their relationship change over the course of the film. Oh, and there are plenty of funny parts, unlike the preceding DC Extended Universe movies.

Starred a guy named Sticky Fingaz as Blade. He was a rapper with no martial arts knowledge or acting ability. Somehow he got the job over Michael Jai White who is an excellent martial artist and who has become a pretty decent actor since his Spawn days.

I actually want to see the Wonder Woman. I loved the show as a kid. I don't supposed there is a Lyle Waggoner cameo?

A few weeks ago, I finally watched my copy of Girls und Panzer der Film, the movie follow-up to the GuP TV series. And gosh darn it, it's just a really fun movie. A nasty corporate man reneges on his (verbal) promise from the TV series to keep the Ooarai school open, leading to another tank battle game to force him to reopen it. The plot is very straightforward, so what makes the story so enjoyable is the pervasive, warm-hearted feeling of teamwork. All of Ooarai's former tournament opponents, along with some new schools, join our heroines for a total-destruction 30-on-30 clash of tanks (and certain other combat vehicles that are technically self-propelled guns (SPGs) instead) that lasts almost the entire latter half of the film. The opponent is a university team led by a child prodigy, equipped mostly with Pershings. As to be expected, the tank action is slightly preposterous but incredibly entertaining. To illustrate how much I enjoyed the film, let me show you the text file I created that accounts for all tanks defeated in the battle, in order, along with who/what defeated them--on second thought, let's skip that.

Instead, here's a fun video someone made: https://youtu.be/5W9MESWy3Jo . One of the new schools in the film is Finnish-based. The team's leader is Mika, a girl who plays a kantele, a Finnish string instrument. In the video, watch as the guy sits in front of a TV showing the movie and plays his kantele (or similar string instrument) along with Mika, who herself happens to provide one of the instruments playing the soundtrack piece of that battle scene.

P.S. Two of the girls in the film speak Russian. In the Japanese audio, one is played by a Russian who moved to Japan to be an anime voice actress (and who has been on a voice actor fans mailing list with me for nearly 20 years). The other is played by a Japanese voice actress who majored in Russian. Privyet!

Has anyone seen Shin Godzilla yet? I had to order a copy from Right Stuf because not a single store I've gone to has it. I figured it would be readily available, given it's Godzilla. But that's not the case. Not near me anyway.

Yeah, I saw it what, like a year ago? Maybe less. I remember it led to onmode-ky correcting my spelling of Fukushima which apparently means lucky island in Japanese.

It's very much like the original in that it's tied to a traumatic event in Japanese history (in this case, Fukushima) and it makes Godzilla a true menace, scary as heck.

OTOH, like much of the movie is seemingly satire on the Japanese government's inability to function in a crisis, so that's a bit lost on American audiences. As is the somewhat cringeworthy American character played by a Japanese actress that is somehow supposed to be the next president, despite being an assistant ambassador or something

Comet just showed a movie that starred both David Hasselhoff and Randolph Mantooth as cops tracking down Jack the Ripper in Arizona (where London Bridge was moved*) in what has to be one of the strangest made for TV movies made.

Just got done watching Shin Godzilla. I thought it was great. You don't have to be from Japan to understand its commentary of the ineffectiveness of the Japanese government, in a time of crisis. It was actually informative. Probably the best CG I've ever seen in a Japanese live action film. Some scenes still looked a little janky, but nothing close to some of the horrid CG I've seen before. And I got a little giddy when I heard music from Neon Genesis Evangelion play in a few scenes. Guess Hideaki Anno wanted to give a little nod to the series. I am sad that he didn't include a shot of Godzilla pointing his head to the sky, and releasing a crucifix shaped atomic beam from his mouth. That would have been cool as hell.

It was mostly when he would fire his photon beams from his back that looked janky. When he leaned from side to side, it was kind of twitchy.

Another cool thing about this movie, is there were some actual terrifying moments. When he was attacked and quickly evolved to use his atomic breath, the sheer devastation of it was really something. I couldn't tell if he was pissed and just went all out to terrify the strike force, or if he was unable to control his new ability. Either way, I was sitting there saying "Holy sh*t.".